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Double booked - MSS and Plaza

Hey everyone, booked a last minute trip leaving Dec 8th...Have MSS and Plaza booked - we've had some small troubles with MSS the past couple times and thought about mixing it up a bit...(don't get me wrong, LOVE the Boar bar!)

I said in March, MSS needed a facelift in their rooms, well it looks like they just got them....So how do I compare Plaza to MSS??? I've read both good and bad...

Also our comp for MSS says 4 nights and meals included (i asked reservations and they said I get a book) anyone know what this book is? Is it good at Cal and Fremont?

The rooms at MSS were redone at least 2+ years ago. What they did lately is install flat panel TVs and they are in the process of adding HDTV to every room. Ours had it 2 weeks ago when we were there. Oh, and they added a few channels to their lineup and in-room check-out now works.

Even though I'm a big fan of MSS, I'd give the nod to the rooms and furnishings at Plaza-at least for now. I double booked there about a year ago just to check it out. The bathrooms are about the same size, but the rooms were bigger.

The food book is usually a book of $5 coupons but sorry I don't know if they are good at Cal or Fremont.

so how does the food book work ?? I'm used to 1) asking for a comp or 2) charging to my room and getting comped at the end....(although 2 trips ago they didn't comp everything b/c we "won" in their eyes...)

so are there vouchers for certain restaurants ?? We typically just go to 777, but last trip we ventured to Cafe (can't remember the name) at Cal for breakfast and went to Redwood for dinner. both really good!

thanks for the pics Joe...we are thinking about packing 2 small bags and leaving one in each room and sleeping wherever we end up for the nite...Are there fridges in the Plaza rooms? that is one thing I really like about the MSS rooms...

thanks for the pics Joe...we are thinking about packing 2 small bags and leaving one in each room and sleeping wherever we end up for the nite...Are there fridges in the Plaza rooms? that is one thing I really like about the MSS rooms...

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The suites and mini-suites that I've stayed in at Plaza have fridges. Standard rooms have not.

The suites and mini-suites that I've stayed in at Plaza have fridges. Standard rooms have not.

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hmmm...my husband and I both got free room offers (but just booked one), I was thinking of asking if would combine and give us a suite...maybe something to do when we get there? are mini suites much nicer than regular rooms?

so how does the food book work ?? I'm used to 1) asking for a comp or 2) charging to my room and getting comped at the end....(although 2 trips ago they didn't comp everything b/c we "won" in their eyes...)

so are there vouchers for certain restaurants ?? We typically just go to 777, but last trip we ventured to Cafe (can't remember the name) at Cal for breakfast and went to Redwood for dinner. both really good!

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I am not sure if it's different for others but we normally get an a food book that takes care of most of your meal. I think it says "aloha" on the outside of the book. The book contains breakfast, lunch and dinner coupons for your stay. You can use the coupons at most of the boyd restaurants at the cal, MSS and fremont (probably even sams town, not sure about the other boyd properties like the orleans and coast properties though).

Depending on the buffet you will probably need to pay a buck or two in addition to using the coupons (not totally free). For dinners, depending on the specialty night (fremont and MSS buffets have specialty nights) it will cost more.

I'm not sure if you can use the food books at the privately run specialty restaurants like tony romas (or redwood grille? or even that 2nd floor aloha specialties restaurant) but you can use it at the market street cafe, the 24 hr restaurant at the cal. You can even use it at the cal lanai (located on the 1st floor near the entrance facing binions) to purchase other stuff (sushi, candies, plate lunches, drinks, etc.). Hawaii people usually use up all the coupons at the end of their stay to purchase items from that cal lanai, no sense wasting the coupons as they aren't good after you leave (they have an expiration date punched into your booklet).

The coupons say that they are good for the buffets (for a buck or two or more) or worth a certain dollar amount at the other boyd restaurants like the market street cafe at the cal or 777 at MSS.

I am not sure if there is another food coupon booklet that they pass out but the one I mentioned is the standard one that I have received on my stays at the boyd properties.

what kind of small troubles did you have at the MSS? would be good to know the negatives of a place.

as for where to stay, the plaza was nicely remodeled but they also have a resort fee. gambling is better at the MSS IMHO, the plaza pay tables aren't that great and the casino is empty most of the time, while the MSS casino is usually busy with hawaii people playing.

guess the plaza would be a good change of scenery as it isn't far from the MSS. You can always walk over and gamble at the MSS, lol.

hmmm...my husband and I both got free room offers (but just booked one), I was thinking of asking if would combine and give us a suite...maybe something to do when we get there? are mini suites much nicer than regular rooms?

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I think it's worth the upgrade. Lots of space, and I've had a wet bar, coffee counter and keurig maker in mine, along with the fridge. 1 1/2 baths once, too.

the problems weren't huge and people will probably say I'm nitpicking...but we've been staying there for a long while and I think the 777 isn't as great as you used to be...still good, but...

a couple trips ago they wouldn't comp all my meals and that ticked me off...(my husband and i gamble almost exclusively there on one card and rack up quite a bit of points...all VP play)

So this past trip (march), we arrived and they had no rooms!!! they wanted to put us at the orleans! after traveling all day, that was the last thing we wanted to do...they finally found us a handicap room a couple hours later..(wasn't a great room, broken stuff in bathroom, etc) .and we found a piece of plastic in our food at 777..

I wrote trip reports on both trips, i go into greater detail there...

So we decided to take some play to Plaza...just to see what it would get us...

None of the above are "deal breakers" but we thought we would see what else is out there...

We've gotten the "meal book" offer before but never have booked it, as we had a couple kiddos in the last few years and those offers always dry up before we can go again...(but everytime i call, they do comp us)

good to know on "using up the book" I'm all about not letting good coupons go to waste!!!

I guess if I want to go to a restaurant not included in the meal book, I can just ask for a comp...

I do love the Boar Bar and the paytables for VP aren't as good at the Plaza bar unless you play 50 cents or higher...

yes, I know that many are used to their standard comps and get upset when they don't get what they always get for their level of play. I sure hope that they aren't tightening up their comps at the boyd properties.

Don't think you can go wrong with either the MSS or the plaza, both have decent rooms (MSS may be noisier though IMHO). If you do stay at the plaza, request a south facing room in the south tower, that way you can see the strip in the distance and won't be bothered by the FSE noise. If you stay at the MSS you can try out their coupon booklet, if you like the buffets they are a real deal.

Yup, with the leftovers of the coupon book I usually pick up caramel popcorn or m & m candies but others have gotten drinks or sushi or chips. I usually pick them up the day before I leave, just in case they run out of stuff. Hawaii people taking the Boyd charters usually clean out the stock before they leave so go early to get the best selection.